糖心传媒

Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. The role of food in preventing and treating diseases, such as diabetes, is now well known. More dietitians and nutritionists will be needed to provide care for patients with various medical conditions and to advise people who want to improve their overall health.

Dietetics has been ranked one of the 100 Best Jobs in the US News and World Report Rankings. The median annual wage for dietitians and nutritionists is $60,130.

The field of dietetics and nutrition is growing at a rapid pace. Join our program for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many. Our graduates have a 96 percent registered dietitian exam pass rate, for testers within one year of first attempt, among other Nutrition and Dietetics Programs.

If you pursue the registered dietitian option, an internship is required upon completion of your bachelor鈥檚 degree.

• Clinical Dietitian Specialist
• Food Technologist
• Food Broker
• Culinary Medicine Chef
• Nutrition Policy Advocate
• Co-op Extension Agent
• Sports Nutritionist
• Health Educator
• Research Nutritionist

The basic cost of the baccalaureate program in dietetics is that associated with a college education.   Please refer to the cost of attendance calculator located at the University  webpage.

Tuition and other institutional fees shall be set by 糖心传媒.  Tuition is charged on a sliding scale determined by the number of credit hours carried by the student.  Tuition fee sheets are available from the Registrar鈥檚 Office and are available on the 糖心传媒 at the  webpage.

Cost of books is difficult to estimate, but usually averages between $300 and $450 per quarter. Students who choose to rent books may spend less than this. Students should be aware that many of the books used in Upper Division FNU courses are used in multiple classes. Thus, the expense of books may be highest during the fall quarter.

Dietetics is a professional program, so there are professional costs in addition to academic costs. These include:

• Liability insurance 鈥� Approximately $40/year
• Professional association dues (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics $58, SDA $10) 鈥� $68/yr
• Lab coat, scrubs, shoes, patches, name tag 鈥� $200
• Field trips/field experience expenses (yearly) 鈥� Approximately $250
• Medical testing(TB and drug) and background checks鈥攁pproximately $100

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at 糖心传媒 is currently granted full accreditation status by the  (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Location and contact information:
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite  2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
800.877.1600, Ext 5400

In addition, the program is affiliated with:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• 糖心传媒 Student Dietetic Association

Program outcomes data are available upon request.

糖心传媒 Dietetics Internship adheres to the 糖心传媒 academic schedule beginning in July and ending in May.

糖心传媒 Tech Academic Calendar

Our next Dietetic Internship class will begin September 2025 and will be coordinated with the Master of Science program. Expected completion will be by Spring 2027.

• Fall quarter courses are hybrid, and students are not expected to move from their permanent location until November 2025.
• Master鈥檚 coursework follows the academic calendar of the university. Specific program calendar will be available in the Dietetic Internship handbook for the September 2025 cohort.
• Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for fall 2025 admittance if they have completed their undergraduate degree by August of 2025.

Additional information and requirements to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or a registered nutrition dietetics technician can be found at the following links:

Both have career opportunities for you!

Nutrition and Dietetic students must apply for and be accepted into Upper Division prior to enrolling in professional courses (300- and 400-level Food and Nutrition courses). Minimum requirements for admission into upper division include: completion of at least 54 hours of credit, with no grade less than a 鈥淐鈥� in curriculum courses. The RD concentration has the requirement of a minimum curriculum GPA of 2.85 or higher, and the non-RD concentration has the requirement of a minimum curriculum GPA of 2.3. The curriculum GPA is not the same as the cumulative GPA posted on the student鈥檚 transcript. The curriculum GPA is calculated at the end of each quarter and is posted in the student鈥檚 academic folder. Students can contact their advisors at any time to check their curriculum GPA. (Note: Students can repeat classes in which they earn grades less than a 鈥淐鈥� to earn a higher grade. However, both grades will be factored into the calculation of curriculum GPA.) 

Typically, application to upper division is made after winter quarter of the sophomore year, although students are able to apply during any quarter in which they meet the eligibility requirements. Once admitted into Upper Division, students in the RD concentration must maintain a minimum curriculum GPA of 2.85 to continue enrolling in 300- and 400-level Food and Nutrition courses. Students in the RD concentration whose curriculum GPA falls below 2.85 will be placed on probation for one quarter. They will be allowed one quarter to raise the curriculum GPA to 2.85 or above. If, by the end of the one quarter of probation, the curriculum GPA is not a 2.85 or above, the student will be dropped from Upper Division and will not be allowed to enroll in additional upper division Food and Nutrition courses. At this time, students should work with their advisors to plan remediation or transfer to the non-RD concentration. While on probation, students may enroll in non-Food and Nutrition courses and they can repeat lower level courses to raise their curriculum GPA. Students will need to reapply and be readmitted to Upper Division prior to enrolling in additional Upper Division courses.

Graduation requirements include completion of the all courses in the Nutrition and Dietetics curriculum, with a grade of 鈥淐鈥� or better.  The RDN concentration requires a curriculum GPA of 2.85 or above to be awarded the ACEND verification statement of completion. The curriculum is 120 hours and is designed to be completed in four years. The University does not set a time limit on completion. However, students who are not continually enrolled (except summer) will be required to enter the curriculum that is in place when they return. This may mean that some of the courses already completed will not count toward graduation requirements or that the student may be required to complete additional courses not in the original curriculum. All upper division courses must be completed within five years of graduation.

• Students completing the non-RDN concentration are required to earn a grade of 鈥淐鈥� or better in all courses, but will not be awarded the ACEND verification statement.  The non-RD concentration requires a GPA of 2.0 or above to be awarded the degree (note: a GPA of at least 2.3 is required for acceptance into upper division classes for non-RDN concentration). 
• Students completing the RD concentration are required to submit a professional portfolio as part of their graduation requirements. The portfolio assignment is introduced in FNU 210: Introduction to the Nutrition Professions and the completed portfolio is submitted in FNU 4801 Senior Seminar.

By completing this internship, dietetic interns will be prepared to become a competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists employed in the field of dietetics.

Program features include:

• Dietetic Internship classes will begin in September and will be coordinated with the Master of Science program. Expected completion will be by Winter or Spring quarter of the following year (5 quarters in total for DI and MS).
• Fall quarter courses are hybrid, and students are not expected to move from their permanent location until November.  Students will need to have a personal computer and reliable internet access for online classes. 
• The official 糖心传媒 Calendar is observed.  Master鈥檚 coursework follows the academic calendar of the university. Specific program calendars and rotation schedules will be available for each cohort.
• Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for Fall admittance if they have completed their undergraduate degree by August (prior to the Sept start).
• Interns complete practicum assignments in one of several geographical areas of 糖心传媒 (Shreveport, Alexandria, or Ruston/Monroe, with additional limited availability for placement in Lafayette or New Orleans).
• 1,200 hours of supervised practice is combined with graduate coursework. The program encourages diverse experience in preparation for the DI, as such, limited credit will be considered for previous learning experiences.  Previous graduate course credits and degrees will be reviewed by the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Graduate School for transfer credits.
• Interns rotate through a variety of facilities, which may include acute and long-term care, school food services, wellness centers, community nutrition programs, dialysis centers, rehabilitation centers, and private practice to complete clinical, pediatric, renal, school nutrition and management rotations for dietetics.
• Interns are not required to locate their facilities or preceptors in their city.
• Periodic on-campus seminar classes will be scheduled.
• A mandatory RDN exam review course is required during the program. Minimum scores on practice exams are required to earn verification statements to sit for the RDN examination by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

The internship is designed to be completed in approximately 18 months.  Interns completing the requirements of the Dietetic Internship and Master鈥檚 Degree, as established by the policies of the 糖心传媒 DI, will receive a verification statement, which is submitted to CDR for eligibility to sit for the RD exam. Completion of the Dietetic Internship requires successfully passing all the requirements of FNU 592: Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics and completion of MS degree.  Requirements for successful completion of FNU 592 are as follows:

FNU 592: Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics

Requirements for successful completion of FNU 592 are as follows:

1. The ACEND competency requirements must be completed satisfactorily and verified by preceptors or Tech faculty. Verification of performance requirements is documented in the Activity Record.
2. Professional behavior reviews conducted by preceptors/adjunct faculty at the completion of each rotation, scheduled for two weeks or longer, must consistently document that the intern is performing at an acceptable level. The 鈥淧rogressive Discipline for Student Performance Problems鈥� policy will be adhered to if problems are identified. Interns must comply with the policy and fulfill requirements for successful completion of the program.
3. Interns must fulfill 1,200 clock hours of practice time through practicum requirements in the facilities and/or through other assigned activities.
4. Documentation of completed Activity Record and a portfolio of work must be submitted to the DI Program Director before completion of the program.
5. Participation in RD practice exam class requirements and workshop. Receive a score of 80% or above on comprehensive RD practice exam.
6. Maintain good standing (3.0 GPA or better) and meet all requirements for continuing in the graduate program.

Mission of the Dietetics Program

The mission of the 糖心传媒 Tech Dietetic Internship Program is to prepare dietetic interns to become competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists who are employed in the field of dietetics and provide leadership to their profession and community.  

Goal 1 鈥� Program graduates will be prepared to become competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists who complete the program within 150% of program length and who gain employment in the field of dietetics within 12 months of program completion.

• Objective 1: At least 80% of program interns complete program/degree requirements within 27 months (150% of the program length).
• Objective 2: Of graduates who seek employment, 90 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 3: At least 80% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
• Objective 4: The program鈥檚 one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
• Objective 5: Of employers who respond to the Employer Questionnaire, 90% will indicate their employees (former interns) are competent or better in professional areas measured.
• Objective 6: 100% of preceptors who respond to the Supervising Dietitians Evaluation will 鈥渁gree鈥� interns are prepared for entry-level practice upon completion of the DI program.

Goal 2 鈥� Program graduates will be prepared to advance the dietetics profession through advocacy, professional & community engagement, and through support of research.

• Objective 1: At least 80% of graduates who respond to the Post Graduate- DI Program Evaluation will report that they have engaged in advocacy, professional, and/or community activities for the dietetics profession.
• Objective 2: 100% of the students who complete the DI and respond to the Post Graduate- DI Program Evaluation will 鈥渁gree鈥� they developed competence in using outcomes-based research in practice.

糖心传媒 Dietetics Internship adheres to the 糖心传媒 academic schedule beginning in July and ending in May.

糖心传媒 Calendar 

• Our next Dietetic Internship class will begin September 2025 and will be coordinated with the Master of Science program. Expected completion will be by Spring 2027.
• Fall quarter courses are hybrid, and students are not expected to move from their permanent location until November 2025.
• Master鈥檚 coursework follows the academic calendar of the university. Specific program calendar will be available in the Dietetic Internship handbook for the September 2025 cohort.
• Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for fall 2025 admittance if they have completed their undergraduate degree by August of 2025.

糖心传媒 participates in a spring application process through the  annually. Applicants must submit their application through DICAS by February 15th to be considered for admittance to the internship in the Fall.

Internship Admission Requirements:

1. DPD Verification Statement or Letter of Intent
2. Minimum undergraduate curriculum GPA of 2.85
3. Completed 糖心传媒 Tech Dietetic Internship Application through DICAS including:
   1. Three recommendation forms (Letters of Recommendation): Two letters must be an academic reference and one must be a work-related reference.
   2. Letter of application/statement of professional goals (Personal Statement)
   3. Personal resume*

*Copies uploaded into 鈥楽upplemental Materials鈥� section on application with City Preference form and DPD course list*

Dietetic Internship Program Application Instructions

Costs associated with the program include:

• An estimate of the fees are located in the DI application packet
• University tuition and fees (quarterly)
• Your expenses can also be calculated using the Net Price Calculator below
• Books and resources (will vary by student based on student鈥檚 personal library)
• Travel to facilities, to campus, and to district and state dietetic association meetings
• Physical examination, including Hepatitis B vaccinations and TB tests and other facility required health documentation
• Criminal background check and drug/alcohol screening
• RD exam preparation course (approximately $400)
• Computer with a camera to complete coursework and testing, along with access to a reliable internet connection. Costs vary based on location, type of service, and computer selected.

糖心传媒 Dietetic Interns are eligible for financial aid as a full-time graduate student. Interns must be admitted unconditionally to the University and maintain a 3.0 GPA or above in order to receive financial aid.

Check the 糖心传媒 financial aid website for more information.

Remember to check with your state and national organizations for scholarships while applying for DICAS.

Scholarship opportunities are available to 糖心传媒 Dietetic Interns.  Please contact the Dietetic Internship Director for more information.

Additional information and requirements to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or a registered nutrition dietetics technician can be found at the following links:

Both have career opportunities for you!

After fulfilling the requirements for becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist, some states may require further licensure. This program meets the requirements for 糖心传媒 state licensure, as well as several others. For information on state licensure requirements, please visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration at